Simplified tax refunds to boost spending

Core measures of the upgraded version 2.0 departure tax refund policy, including a fully paperless process and a random inspection system for small amounts, were officially rolled out earlier this month, allowing inbound travelers to immediately experience seamless efficiency.

"Previously, processing a tax refund required paper invoices and forms, which took time to print and were easy to lose, but now the entire process can be completed with just one code," said a Romanian traveler. On July 1, he purchased a watch in Beijing, generated an electronic form by scanning a code at the store, and quickly verified it at the Beijing Capital International Airport customs window.

This paperless system allows travelers to generate a universally applicable "departure tax refund service code" via mobile browsers anytime after entering the country. It enables them to process refunds at any designated store or departure port nationwide and track electronic invoices and progress online, making the procedure fully traceable.

Efficiency is further boosted by a new regulation effective July 1, which applies random physical inspections to refund applications under 10,000 yuan ($1,471). "My documents were not selected for physical inspection today, so I completed all procedures in just a few minutes, which makes us more willing to buy quality domestic products," said Yang Liqin, a Hong Kong traveler who received a 530-yuan refund for a camera at Shenzhen's Futian Port.

To facilitate this, Shenzhen Customs has set up prominent signs and assigned dedicated personnel to direct travelers based on their refund amounts. Sun Yiming, an official at Shenzhen Customs, explained the rationale: "This risk-management approach exempts most small-amount applicants from physical checks, eliminating queues for minor refunds while ensuring smooth operations for those selected."

The digital shift also benefits daily operations. "During peak seasons, writing refund applications used to cause long queues, but now the system automatically generates and sends electronic forms to travelers' phones, saving time and eliminating printing needs," noted a staff member at the Lawson tax refund store at Beijing Capital International Airport.

An official from airport customs stated, "By scanning the traveler's exclusive code, we can retrieve complete electronic documents for online verification, meaning we no longer need to stamp paper applications."

For those still preferring paper, Shanghai Customs introduced smart verification terminals supported by an integrated platform to retrieve digital records if physical invoices are forgotten, helping process 253,000 applications worth 2.3 billion yuan in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, Hangzhou Customs has collaborated with tax, banking and airport authorities to deploy 24/7 "E-Customs Pass" self-service stations to assist travelers.

These streamlined services complement an expanding supply of eligible goods nationwide. "The refund process is simple, and the money arrives instantly, making me want to buy more cultural gifts for my family before returning home," said Marina Ivanova, a Russian tourist drawn to local specialties in Dalian, Liaoning province.

Merchants are seeing tangible economic benefits from the policy. "Since becoming a 'buy-and-refund' store in April, our daily foreign customer foot traffic has doubled, with these sales now accounting for 6 percent of our total revenue," said Zhang Jin, manager of an Adidas store in Chongqing.

Chongqing recently expanded its "buy-and-refund" stores to 78, achieving full coverage of its core commercial districts, with eligible goods now spanning 3C electronics, jewelry, apparel, beauty products and cultural heritage items.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn